Rowdy P. Nagendran, the main accused in the Armstrong murder case, died this morning at Stanley Government Hospital in Chennai after failing to respond to treatment for liver failure. He had been undergoing intensive medical care for the past few days, sources said.
K. Armstrong, the State President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Tamil Nadu, was brutally hacked to death near his residence in Chennai on July 5, 2024. Following the incident, the Sembiyam Police registered a case and arrested 27 persons, including Nagendran and Ponnai Balu, who were named as the first and second accused (A1 and A2). Two other suspects remain absconding abroad, and efforts are ongoing to trace them.
The Sembiyam Police completed the investigation and filed a charge sheet before the Chennai District Principal Sessions Court, where the case is being heard by District Principal Judge Karthikeyan. Recently, the Madras High Court ordered that the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further probe, following petitions from Armstrong’s family seeking a fair and independent investigation.
His death is expected to impact the progress of the ongoing trial as the CBI takes over the investigation from the state police.
